


Curiosity

by Arista_Holmes



Category: Doctor Who (2005)
Genre: Ambiguous/Open Ending, Baby Fic, Complete, Ending Up To Reader Imagination, F/M, Implied Metacrisis Death, Reunion
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-04
Updated: 2018-06-04
Packaged: 2019-05-18 03:31:34
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,079
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14844851
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Arista_Holmes/pseuds/Arista_Holmes
Summary: When the Doctor stumbles over a tiny bridge into Pete's world, he just can't resist checking up on Rose and the Metacrisis but when he sneaks into their flat to have a peek at their photographs, he discovered that their family of two had become three and that the Metacrisis needs one final favour from the Time Lord. Open Ending. Ending is left to Reader's Imagination. Facebook Prompt/Plot Bunny.





	Curiosity

The Picture that inspired this plot bunny!

* * *

 

**Curiosity**

 

The Doctor hadn't been looking for the tiny gap in the universe. Honestly, he hadn't, but he'd stumbled across it all the same.

He'd just done a scan, quick and simple, to figure out the best way of sealing it up but the results that scrolled over the Tardis console screen made him freeze.

Before he could make a conscious decision either way the Tardis took the choice out of his hands, spinning just a fraction too close and falling through and his hearts settled, somewhat painfully, in the middle of his throat because he recognised the readings coming out of that crack.

Part of him hoped he was wrong but another part, quieter and yet almost twice as powerful, prayed that he wasn't. The brief glimpse he'd gotten suggested that, after all this time, he'd finally found a sliver of a bridge leading into Pete's world, and his very soul constricted painfully at what he might find on the other side of the Tardis doors.

His beloved and backstabbing timeship hummed quietly, prompting him forward before powering down, preparing to gather her strength for the return journey. He probably had a few hours, surely it wouldn't be difficult to track down-

He tugged sharply on his bow tie and shook his head, floppy hair falling into his eyes as he mentally scolded himself.

He sent her off with a perfect copy of himself. Better than perfect, part human. Able to live and die by her side. Going back had the potential to either shatter the perfect life he had mentally constructed for them or, alternately, shatter his hearts when that imagined life was proved accurate. No. The Doctor was far better off... far safer if he simply stayed away.

He could already feel the curiosity biting at his mind though, and without Amy and Rory on board as witnesses, he could admit to himself that he wasn't going to be able to resist taking one last glance at Rose Tyler and with a single bracing breath, and his hands smoothing back his hair one more time, the Doctor stepped out of the Tardis, missing the quiet smugness in her weary humming.

He'd been right, of course, it was simple enough to track down Rose and John Tyler. It wasn't as though they were hiding, after all and he set himself on a nearby street corner to watch for the silhouette that would forever be burned upon his hearts.

The one thing the Doctor hadn't considered, though, was his rapid ability to sink into boredom in this regeneration. He was no longer the kind of man who could stake out an Adipose company by hiding a cupboard for half the day and so it wasn't long before, with a quick burst of the sonic, he found himself slipping into their flat.

Her flat.

Because, if he was still being honest with himself, it wasn't the metacrisis he was there to see.

The pictures hanging on the walls drew his eyes first. Smiles. Laughter. Work parties and family days out. A wedding.

His breath caught and his respiratory bypass engaged at the sight of Her in a white gown, with embroidered flowers in Gallifrey-Red, and his hands clenched tightly against the building pain within his mind.

Coming had been a mistake, he decided and, unable to look further, he turned quickly towards the front door, more than ready to leave before the pain destroyed him. A small sounds caught his attention though, froze his steps and snapped his eyes wide.

A quiet murmur of movement and a musical giggle that started his hearts beating again, the sound so like Rose Tyler's. A few strides later he wasn't at the front door, but inside a small nursery, staring down at the squirming child who was gazing up at him with glittering brown eyes and a grin that spoke of joy and laughter.

“Well hello, littlest Tyler,” he whispered, meeting the child's gaze with a growing grin of his own as the baby babbled out a response.

“Jack is a wonderful name,” he told the child softly, scooping the young human up carefully, and cradling his tiny form against his chest.

Jack fussed a little, but the Doctor hushed him gently, rocking a little as instinct took over and he pressed a gentle kiss to the barely there hair sprinkled across the child's head.

“Nothing to worry about, little one. I'm friends with your parents,” he promised and the baby in his arms quickly settled, hearing the truth in his voice and the Doctor all but melted. He might resent his other self, the self-hatred might leak over to the metacrisis, but there in his arms was Rose Tyler's child, and nothing in any universe was going to harm him.

“Let me tell you a short story, Jack,” the Doctor said quietly, still rocking the child as he swayed and shifting his weight from foot to foot in an almost dance. If this was the only time he had to spend in this universe, the Doctor decided he was going to make the most of it.

“Your dad and I used to be the same person. It's true, cross my hearts... We used to travel through the stars together with your mum... and I kid you not; the stars are beyond beautiful.”

The Doctor paused for a moment, lips curling into a smile as those sparkling brown eyes gazed up at him in open amazement.

“Not as beautiful as your mum, I agree, but pretty close... I wish I could take you for one trip, but I'm not sure your parents would let me...”

Jack giggled once more, that magical Rose Tyler laugh that had so swiftly drawn the Doctor in and he swallowed hard, freezing as he realised that there was no way he or Rose would leave their child alone, unsupervised, or unprotected.

“Jack... your dad is standing right outside, isn't he?” the Doctor whispered, and the child cooed an affirmative, that drew a resigned sigh from the Time Lord, even as he turned to face the part-human version of his last life.

He was braced for anger and frustration at his return. A demand to leave and never come back. He was prepared for pity or disdain but what he didn't expect to see was pain and tears.

“You found a way back,” John Tyler croaked out, his voice thick with emotions, but none of the ones the Doctor expected. There was relief there and pain and he found himself frowning in confusion, even as Jack stretched his tiny toddler arms out for his father.

“It was an accident-” he tried to explain, his voice rising in pitch as panic at being discovered began to set in, but John shook his head, brushing away any attempt at an apology quickly as he took the reaching child from the Doctor's arms.

“No. It's... It's good you're here,” he admitted softly, cradling Jack to him gently and leaving the Doctor's hands awkwardly empty, “I don't want to leave Rose alone, so... it's good your here.”

“Leave her alone?” the Doctor asked, frowning at his counterpart in confusion, “What could possibly make you leave her? Or this little one?” the Doctor all but demanded, but his counterpart had clearly mellowed while living the domestic life because he simply moved to place Jack back in his crib before ushering the Doctor out into the hall.

“I don't want to talk about it in front of Jack-”

“Well we're out of earshot now,” the Doctor pointed out as John continued to guide him into the lounge, “so tell me... What's making you leave Rose Tyler?”

His tone demanded answers, the barely controlled rage beneath his words finally drew the metacrisis' attention and the man ran his hands through his hair in a painfully familiar gesture of frustration.

“It's not like I'm abandoning them by choice,” the man finally growled back darkly, “but not being a Time Lord, there's not much I can do about cascading cell decay.”

It took the Doctor longer than he would have liked for the mans words to sink in, and then a moment longer for the Doctor to realise what they meant but when his mind finally decided to update him, he quickly ran his eyes over the metacrisis anew, cataloguing things that he should have noticed the moment he caught sight of him.

Thin. Much thinner than he should be. Tired, deep circles under his eyes. Pale, sickly pale and the most telling sign, at least for that particular body, was the way his hair hung limp and flat around his face.

“You're dying,” the Doctor breathed, shock turning his exclamation into a whisper and the wry smile that crept across his counterparts features made him flinch slightly.

“Yes... apparently I'm less Time Lord than we suspected. The metacrisis can't sustain the mixed biology for any length of time. It's been about four years since Bad Wolf Bay, and based on the most recent round of tests, I'll be lucky to make it through Christmas.”

“But... Rose...”

“I know.”

There was a moment or two of awkward silence before John huffed out a shaky breath, and forced a tight but genuine smile across his features.

“But... now you're here... she won't be alone.”

“I can't take her with me!” the Doctor squawked, eyes widening in surprise at the leap John had made but simply got a raised eyebrow in response.

“I'm... I'm different, I've changed!”

“Wouldn't be the first regeneration Rose had been through.”

“The baby! Can't have baby Jack on board the Tardis-”

“I don't see why not. The Tardis would love him, and you know she'd baby proof... for Rose, if not for you.”

“What about her family?” the Doctor demanded sharply, and John winced before replying.

“Car accident... last year...”

The Doctor stared at his last face, jaw working on words that wouldn't come as all of his arguments fell to pieces around him, and against his best intentions a flicker of hope lit in the deepest parts of his hearts. The tiniest fragment of hope that he might just get one more chance at keeping Rose Tyler close, but he couldn't stop his final argument from slipping out.

“You must know how much Rose likes decisions being made for her...”

“Which is why we discussed the possibility of you showing up weeks ago... I knew, if there was a way for the Tardis to help us she would-”

“How could you possibly know she'd find a way through?” the Doctor demanded, surprised by the genuine grin that quickly flickered across his counterparts features.

“Bad Wolf... After Bad Wolf Bay she's showed up occasionally, once or twice. Just here and there to help us out of a sticky situation or two... Rose didn't mess around when she held the power of a Goddess, after all... so why would she leave herself stranded and alone?”

John let the Doctor absorb his words for a moment or two before clearing his throat and drawing the Time Lord's attention.

“So... will you help?” he asked quietly, and the Doctor studied him. It was a sharp intense gaze that the metacrisis knew well, and he forced himself not to flinch away, braced himself against the intense scrutiny of the Time Lord and held his breath for the mans answer.

The body that had matched his own would have leapt at the opportunity of having Rose back. Probably wouldn't have even discussed it before dragging the woman back to the Tardis, but this new version of himself seemed more cautious, more wary of trusting. More like a wounded animal in a trap and that intense searching gaze told him that the Time Lord was looking for a catch or a trap that would snap around him and bring hurt.

Despite knowing the Time Lord would find nothing but honestly and hope in his eyes, that intense stare had John holding his breath, and only releasing it when the Doctor finally gave a single nod of agreement.

“Of course I'll help. Lemme take a look at your test results and if we can't figure out a way to save your life, I promise you... Rose has an open invitation aboard the Tardis,” the Doctor murmured, pausing just long enough for John to draw breath before correcting himself.

“Rose, and of course Jack Tyler.”

 

 


End file.
